DecoBasics 1/2" Overlay Matte Black Cabinet Hinges 50 Pack (25 Pair) Self Closing Bath & Kitchen Cabinet Hinges Black Flush Mount w/Door Bumpers & Upgraded Screws

A hinge swap is one of the simplest, highest-impact ways to modernize dated cabinets. I put the DecoBasics matte black hinges to work on a mid-90s face-frame kitchen and two bathroom vanities, replacing shiny brass surface-mount hardware. The difference in look and feel was immediate: cleaner lines, a consistent matte black accent that pairs well with contemporary pulls, and a reliable self-close snap that keeps doors from drifting open.

What they are and what they’re for

These are semi-concealed, surface-mount hinges designed for face-frame cabinets with a 1/2-inch overlay. If your door covers the cabinet frame by roughly half an inch all the way around, you’re in the right territory. They’re not for frameless European cabinets or cup-style concealed hinges—you won’t drill 35 mm cups here. Think classic American cabinetry where the hinge knuckle is visible on the edge of the door.

You get 25 pairs (50 pieces), silicone bumpers for the doors, and 5/8-inch mounting screws. The hinges are steel with an electroplated matte black finish and a spring that pulls the door shut at the last few degrees.

Build and finish

Out of the box, the hinges feel substantial. The leaves are thick enough not to “oil can” when you flex them, the rolled knuckle is clean, and the spring action is consistent from pair to pair. The matte black plating is even, somewhere between satin and flat—modern without being chalky. It’s a good match to most matte black pulls and knobs.

I checked a few pairs with calipers for squareness and parallelism; they were consistent, which matters when you’re mounting a dozen doors in a run. After installation, the finish resisted fingerprints and light scuffs well. I did manage to mark one hinge by letting a driver bit skate across it—user error. A strip of painter’s tape under the hinge during install spared the rest.

Installation and fit

If you’re replacing existing surface-mount hinges, there’s a good chance these will share the same basic hole pattern. On the kitchens I tested, the frame-side screws lined up; on a few older doors, the door-side pattern was close enough that a tiny nudge in the slotted holes took care of fit. The footprint is slightly slimmer than some 80s/90s hinges, so if you’re working on stained wood you may see a faint “ghost” line where the old leaf sat. On painted cabinets, a quick touch-up erased it.

A few practical tips from the install:

• Confirm your overlay. Measure 1/2 inch from the edge of the face frame and mark a light pencil line; that’s where the door edge should land. These hinges have a bit of play for micro-adjustment, but they’re not 3-way adjustable like Euro hinges—start with accurate layout.
• Use a self-centering (Vix) bit for the countersunk holes. It keeps screws from walking and helps maintain consistent reveals.
• Pre-drill if you’re going into hardwood frames, and run screws in by hand for the last few turns. I used a clutch-limited drill for speed and a screwdriver to finish.
• Apply the included silicone bumpers after alignment to avoid clamping a door against them while you adjust.

The upgraded 5/8-inch screws are appropriately sized for most face frames and doors. On my kits, the majority of screw heads were fine, but a handful had shallow Phillips recesses that were easy to cam out with a driver bit. I swapped a few with my own cabinet screws. If you’re using an impact driver, dial it down or, better yet, finish with a hand driver to protect both the heads and the finish.

Performance and feel

Once hung, the self-closing spring engages around 25–30 degrees, pulling the door shut with a positive “snap.” This is exactly what you want if you’ve dealt with doors creeping open or sitting proud. You won’t get true hydraulic soft-close; there’s no damper cartridge. But between the clean spring action and the silicone bumpers, the close is controlled and quiet enough for everyday use, even in kids’ bathrooms.

Clearance-wise, the 1/2-inch overlay performed as expected. Door gaps were easy to keep consistent with a few millimeters of adjustment in the oblong screw holes. The hinge knuckles are aligned cleanly, and the matte black knuckle peeking out on the door edge reads as a tidy design choice rather than a distraction.

Durability and maintenance

The electroplated finish has held up to weeks of wet hands around bathroom sinks and steam from dishwashers without spotting or rust. On a cabinet over a kettle, no blistering or discoloration. Springs remain strong and even across the pack. If a drip or cleaner residue dries on the hinge, a damp microfiber cloth restores the uniform finish without streaks.

Long term, I’d expect the biggest enemies to be abrasive cleaners and impact damage during install. Avoid powdered cleansers, and keep driver bits under control. If you’re in a coastal environment, the plating should offer solid protection, but a quick wipe-down during routine cleaning won’t hurt.

Aesthetics and consistency

Matte black is unforgiving when it’s inconsistent. Across my box, the color and sheen matched from hinge to hinge and from pair to pair. Against alabaster, warm whites, and medium-stain oaks, the finish read as modern but not stark. It also bridges styles well—good for refreshes where you’re keeping the door style but updating hardware.

Value

Buying hinges in bulk can save a lot versus big-box per-pair pricing. Here, you’re getting a full kitchen’s worth at a per-pair cost that feels fair, especially considering the even finish and reliable spring. If you’re outfitting an entire kitchen and a couple of baths, one box covers it with a few spares. For a single vanity, it’s more than you need, but the cost-per-hinge makes sense even with leftovers.

Where they shine—and where they don’t

Highlights:
- Straightforward retrofit for face-frame cabinets with 1/2-inch overlay
- Consistent self-closing action that actually keeps doors shut
- Matte black finish that’s even and resilient
- Slight adjustability in the mounting slots for dialing in reveals
- Included silicone bumpers meaningfully reduce clack on close

Tradeoffs:
- Not a true soft-close hinge; the bumpers help but won’t slow a hard swing
- Some screw heads were shallow; keep a few extra cabinet screws on hand
- Slightly smaller leaf footprint than certain older hinges, which may reveal finish outlines on stained wood
- Limited adjustability compared to Euro-style concealed hinges

Who it’s for

• Homeowners refreshing traditional face-frame cabinets who want a quick visual update with functional self-close
• Landlords and property managers needing durable, uniform hardware at scale
• DIYers replacing brass or oil-rubbed bronze surface-mount hinges without drilling cup holes

Who should look elsewhere:
- Anyone with frameless Euro cabinets (you’ll need 35 mm cup concealed hinges)
- Projects that demand full soft-close dampers and three-way adjustability

Installation time and tools

Swapping a pair takes about 10 minutes once you’re in a rhythm. A Vix bit, #2 Phillips, tape, a small level, and a pencil are plenty. For full kitchens, I like to stage doors, label them, and standardize hinge placement to keep reveals consistent. Expect a few iterative adjustments on corner cabinets or less-than-square frames—these hinges give you enough slop to compensate without fuss.

Bottom line

DecoBasics hinges deliver what a surface-mount hinge should: a clean, consistent finish; dependable self-close; and an easy retrofit pathway that doesn’t require rethinking your cabinetry. They’re a straightforward, cost-effective way to bring older face-frame cabinets into line with modern hardware trends without committing to concealed hinge retrofits.

Recommendation: I recommend these for most face-frame cabinet refreshes. The finish quality, reliable self-close action, and value per pair outweigh the minor annoyances with occasional screw quality and slightly smaller footprints than some legacy hinges. Keep a box of reliable cabinet screws nearby, lay out your overlay carefully, and you’ll get a tidy, modern update that functions as well as it looks.